39th SQUADRON
REUNIONS

The reunions are undoubtedly the most popular activity of the 39th Association. Several "get-togethers" of small groups of 39th veterans were held during the years after the end of World War II, but the first organized 39th reunion was not held until 1987.

1987

The 39th reunion for 1987 was held in Des Moines, Iowa at the Savery Hotel with about 20 39th veterans, most of them accompanied by their wives, attending. Vern and Shirley Simpson, who live in nearby Johnston, Iowa were the host couple.

1989

After a two year hiatus the 39th Reunion was held again in 1989. It was held in Louisville, Kentucky, the site of Bowman field, where the squadron was originally formed and manned in mid 1942.

1990

The 1990 reunion was held in Denver, Colorado.

1991

In 1991 the reunion was held in Rapid city, South Dakota. The host was Fred Wolken.

1992

The scene shifted to the Lone Star State in 1992 with Russ and Miki Klinginsmith, of Garden Ridge, Texas, hosting the reunion on October 8-11 at the famous Menger Hotel located next door to the Alamo in San Antonio. About 70 attended, including wives. Activities included a trip to the LBJ ranch near Johnson City and a visit to the Admiral Nimitz Museum in Fredricksburg. Our banquet was held at the Randolph Air force Base Officers Club near San Antonio.

1993

In 1993 we met at the Doubletree hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 16-19. Our host couple was Hal and Lela Schultz, who lived in SLC. Our attendance was 74 veterans and wives. During the reunion we visited the Utah State Capital building and the Catholic Cathedral. We also attended a rehearsal of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir and visited the Snowbird ski area in the beautiful Wasatch mountains, where an early Oktoberfest was being held, and where we ran into an early snowstorm on top of the Hidden Peak mountain (11,000 ft high). We enjoyed a southwestern cookout buffet for our annual banquet. Only a few weeks after the reunion, our host, Hal Schultz, succumbed to cancer. We miss him.

1994

Our reunion in 1994 was held in Dayton/Fairborn, Ohio, "Home of Aviation", on September 22-24, hosted by Max and Mary Jane Archer of the Dalles, Oregon. Our headquarters was the Ramada Hotel in Fairborn. Our attendance was 76 including wives. We had an all day visit to the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. One day was NOT enough, and many guys went back the next day, in lieu of an equally interesting tour of Dayton, including the Wright brothers home and graves. We also visited Carillon park which had many interesting museums and exhibits including an ORIGINAL 1903 Wright Flyer-B airplane!

1995

We met on September 28 through October 1, 1995 in historic Williamsburg, Virginia at the Holiday Inn Downtown. The attendance was 60 39th veterans and wives. Our host couple was Nick and Phyllis Katsarelis of Triangle, Virginia. We had a marvelous, if somewhat tiring, tour of Colonial Williamsburg, very educational! We also had an equally educational and interesting tour of Yorktown and the Yorktown battlefield. Icing on the cake include a tour of a fully restored, flyable C-54 aircraft like those used by the 39th during the Berlin Airlift in 1949. This aircraft, belonging to and restored by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, was flown into Williamsburg especially for our reunion. At our annual banquet, our speaker was Rear Admiral L.E. Allen, who gave a very inspiring address about the 39th and its history.

1996

The 1996 reunion was held on October 17-20 at the Holiday Inn International Drive in Orlando, Florida, "America Playground." Our hosts were Al and June Miller, who live in nearby Altamonte Springs. Attendance was about 44 including wives. Activities during the reunion included a marvelous trip and tour of The Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral, about two hours east of Orlando. Free time allowed everyone to pick from among dozen of great things to do in Orlando, including Disney World, EPCOT, Sea World, and many others. At the banquet, one of our members, Marty Schuck, from Boca Raton, spoke on peacetime Japan and its relations with the US. Marty is an instructor in a college in Boca Raton, specializing in postwar Japan.

1997

Our 1997 reunion, the tenth anniversary reunion,  returned to Des Moines, Iowa on September 25-28. Our hosts were Vern and Shirley Simpson.  We met at the Savery Hotel in downtown Des Moines.   A tour of the Living History Farm and the Camp Dodge facility and museum  kept us busy on Friday.   Attendees enjoyed the day at the Farmer's Market on Saturday.  

1998

Rapid City Revisited.  Fred Wolken and Clem Spitulski aided by their wives, Carol and Marilyn, sponsored our 1998  reunion.   Our hosts escorted us on a tour of the Black Hills, including Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument.   The next day was spent at Deadwood, South Dakota, and at the nearby Homestake Gold Mine.

1999

Fort Worth, "Where the West Begins," was the site of our 1999 reunion which was held October 20-24.  Gene and Pat Allen with John and Reggie Bucko were co-hosts.    1999 marked the 150th anniversary of the founding of Fort Worth and we joined in the festivities.   We toured the new Texas Rangers Stadium and spent a day in Old Ft. Worth where a steam train, rodeo and a special performance by the "Horse Whisperer" held our interest.

2000

We met in Old Saint Louie.  Tom and Nancy Sparr and co-hosts Al and Fran Evans really did a job.  Our hotel was located near Harrah's Casino.      We gathered on Wednesday, September 13th .   The next day we toured the  Budweiser Brewery with lunch at the Lynch Street Bistro.   On Friday we toured the gloriously restored Union Station and after lunch rode the tram to the top of the St. Louis Arch.    We still had plenty of time to tour the Museum of Western Expansion and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.   That evening we all enjoyed our banquet and speaker.  Saturday, after our business meeting, we had lunch in historic St. Charles and toured the first Missouri capitol building.   The piece de resistance that evening was the hanger dance with the music of the Big Bands sponsored by the Confederate Air Force. 

2001

We met in Denver, Colorado at the Adam's Mark Hotel on September 20-23.  Our hosts were Charles "Choppy" Nehring and his daughter Kay Nehring ably aided by Ed Miller.    Charlie "Stretch" Martin  hosted the 39th in a visit to his home.  The Colorado State Capitol, US Mint, Colorado History Museum and Denver Art Museum were available for those that chose to stray from the hospitality room.   Choppy played the movie that he had taken during his time in the outfit.   The banquet speaker was Major Plating, Military History Instructor at the Air Force Academy.   Denver's Channel 7 News interviewed some of the members about their memories of WWII.

2002

We met in Kansas City, Kansas at the Marriott Downtown.  Babs Tuley, widow of the much respected 39th C. O., Bud Tuley  hosted the  reunion in Kansas City assisted by Al Evans.    A visit to the TWA museum and to the Steamboat Arabia Museum was slated.    

 

2003

We met in Savannah, Georgia.  Bill and Shirley Weaver were our hosts for the October 2-5 reunion and it was action packed.  More than 120 persons attended.   A trolly tour of Savannah was the first event after registration.   That evening  members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church provided us with a Low Country Boil and Barbeque Dinner.    We were all honored to have Lt. Col. C. K. Hyde, current 39th Squadron Commander join us.   The second day, after the motel's complimentary breakfast, we were bussed to the Eighth Air Force Museum where we toured and enjoyed a box lunches.  That evening we were free to sample Savannah's fine cuisine.    Saturday  many attendees chose to visit the River Street Octoberfest and tour the many attractions after the photo session.  Saturday evening the Weavers once again excelled.  Not only did they arrange the cocktail hour and banquet but also joined the Savannah Men's and Women's Barbershop Choruses in entertaining us.

2004

We met in Minneapolis-St. Paul.  Bruce Biser and Linda and Joe Phillips hosted a great reunion. Friday morning we visited the Air Reserve Station for lunch and to see it’s museum. Lt. Col. Bob Hagel, 109th Airlift Squadron, filled us in on the latest exploits flying the C-130 during Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Lt. Col. Pat Mordente, commanding officer of the 39th Airlift Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, presented a squadron update at dinner Saturday night. Following Pat's presentation we were entertained at the Bombers Moon Ball.

2005

Hosts John (Mac) McCurdy and his niece Vicki Wilson welcomed the 39th to Santa Maria with smiles, bottles of wine and a full, fun-packed schedule. We stepped back in time having lunch in an 1880's hotel, toured wineries, visited Vandenberg AF Base and all agreed that Santa Maria is indeed the Barbecue Capital of the World. In a room filled with restored player pianos, we devoured the oak-smoked sirloin, salsa and beans. That night we enjoyed a stand-up comedian and dancers.

2006

Our host, Harry Biser, arranged for the perfect tour of Washington D.C. The driver customized the tour to include whatever people wanted to see---and what we didn't know we wanted to see. Our first stop was the new WWII Memorial. Next stop was a few steps from the Viet Nam Memorial and short walk to the Korean War Memorial. Interspersed with our visits to the memorials we passed through Georgetown, Embassy Row and the Federal Buildings. We lunched at the Pentagon Plaza and got a look at the yet uncompleted Air Force Memorial. Our stop on the Mall allowed us to visit the Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. At the end of the day our last stop was the Iwo Jima Memorial. Harry invited Bill LeoGrande, Dean of Public Affairs at American University in Washington and a specialist in Latin American politics and U.S. foreign policy, to speak at our Friday dinner. LeoGrande’s topic was Cuba. In a formal military ceremony Saturday night, five of our veterans were awarded Bronze Star Medals for their service during WWII by General Ronald E. Keys, Commander of the Air Combat Command, Langley AFB. Paul and Helen Goubeaud, Kent and Ann Rothrock along with Liz Grotz manned the hospitality room

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